In a state where queer spaces can feel increasingly few and far between, the packed dance floor at Splash Nightclub this weekend offered a sense of joy, resistance and, most of all, celebration.
On Saturday, March 21, Miami-based drag performer Athena Dion, fresh off the most recent season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” headlined the night.
While most attendees visited to get face time with the reality competition star, local talents London Manchester and Mahogany Campbell of the Bombshells of Baton Rouge also performed.
“I’m a huge ‘Drag Race’ fan, but I’m an even bigger fan of local drag,” Splash guest Annelise Privat, 26, said. “I have been going to drag locally for the past five years, and I didn’t start watching ‘Drag Race’ until this past fall.”
Despite Dion being a newer face to the “Drag Race” franchise, Splash was a packed house, with many guests opting to buy VIP tickets to meet and take pictures with the queen starting at 11:15 p.m.
The itinerary for the night was pushed back due to Dion’s flight to Louisiana being delayed. Manchester, as the emcee, noted that the team at Splash was unsure if the night’s plans were even going to happen. Luckily, the team was able to work with Dion’s manager to ensure Baton Rougeans would get their money’s worth.
For some, including LSU kinesiology senior Sophia Sturgeon, the star’s appearance was a pleasant surprise.
“I think it’s incredible that a bar in Baton Rouge was able to get in contact with a drag queen from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’” Sturgeon, 22, said.
Having been raised by queer moms, Sturgeon is grateful for Baton Rouge’s large LGBTQ+ community.
“it’s incredible that the capital of such a red state is so welcoming to queer people, and that there is a safe space such as Splash and Mother’s,” Sturgeon said.
Privat, who currently lives in Lafayette, feels the same. After her traveling dance group, the Candy Mix Maids, cancelled practice, they decided to drive over an hour to let loose at Splash.
“I love that I can drive all the way out here to the big city of Baton Rouge and see amazing queens, but I can also be in smaller towns like Lafayette and Lake Charles and see drag there too,” Privat said. “It’s amazing to be able to see local performers — minorities in our community — be able to express themselves so freely, especially in a state where we can’t always express ourselves for fear of retaliation.”
Despite the night’s festivities being pushed back, the performances by Manchester and Campbell, as well as the headlining show from Dion, certainly delivered.
Starting at midnight, the trio gave guests an exceptionally electric show. Manchester brought the roof down from heaven with an angelic act, featuring hits like “Don’t Call Me Angel” by Ariana Grande, Lana Del Ray and Miley Cyrus.
Stepping onto stage to “Kill Bill” by SZA, Campbell gave a killer performance as a crazed dominatrix, donning a latex corset over a silky dressing gown.
Soon enough, it was time for the “Drag Race” alumna to take the stage. With nearly every phone in the building pointing to the stage, an auditory compilation of her time on the competition reality show began playing overhead, ultimately blending into “When You’re Good To Mama” from the musical “Chicago.”
In a metallic gold unitard, Dion gave a theatrically glamorous show, swishing a two-foot train that she dramatically detached while another sound edit played, this time focused on her “Drag Race” co-stars calling her a diva. Fittingly, “Diva” by Club 69 began playing, eventually rounding off the first set of drag with “Respect” by Aretha Franklin.
Dion focused on giving her fans a truly intimate moment of connection, squeezing her their hands and blowing kisses instead of reaching for the wads of cash pointed to her as she strutted the catwalk one more time.
Taking the microphone from Manchester, Dion thanked Splash Nightclub for its support.
“I don’t think I’ve felt this much energy anywhere I’ve been,” Dion said.
Per a fan’s request during her meet and greet, she then performed “OPA!,” an original song made for “Drag Race,” which RuPaul described as a “Greek Latoya Jackson” tune.
For the next hour, guests flounced around from the stage to the bar to the balcony while numbers like “No Hands” by Waka Flocka Flame, “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé and “Slow Wind” by S Dott played.
At 1 a.m., exactly an hour before Splash closed, the final performances of the night started.
As “365” by Charli xcx played, the crowd zoned in on the stage; when the curtain didn’t budge, though, the audience’s whoops slowly became quiet whispers as they tried to figure out where Manchester was. Soon enough, guests turned around to the DJ station, where the Baton Rouge queen was recreating Charli xcx’s spin session at the Boiler Room circa 2024.
Performing to other iconic songs, including “Mean Girls” and “Von Dutch,” Manchester brought all the “Brat” energy to Splash.
Campbell, on the other hand, finished off the night with a Doja Cat set, performing “Attention” and “Demons.” With an edgy, platinum blonde mullet, glittering geometric glasses and a rhinestone one-piece, she delivered a captivating show, preparing the audience well for Dion’s final moments in Splash.
From behind the curtains came Dion dressed in a fiery red cloak that she used to mysteriously frame her face. Assuming the role of a magician, she danced to “Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga, swirling the cape around as if to cast enchantment spells on the audience. When the song ended, she discarded it, revealing a beautiful gown reminiscent of flames. As the set closed with “Bad Romance,” the crowd was certainly on fire, throwing bills frantically onto the stage while singing and dancing.
Just 30 minutes before Splash officially closed, Dion addressed the crowd one last time, ending on an encouraging note to other queer people in the crowd.
“They can’t silence us,” Dion said. “We’ve always been here, we’re always going to be here and we’re never going away.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source lsureveille.com ’
